Notre Dame senior guard Megan Duffy was one of 25 players named to the 2005-06 State Farm Wade Trophy preseason candidate list, it was announced Wednesday. Duffy is one of four point guards on the list, joining UCLA's Nikki Blue, Texas Tech's Erin Grant and North Carolina's Ivory Latta.

Irish Hit The Road To Take On Boston College

Feb. 14, 2005

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(#5 AP/#7 ESPN/USA Today) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (22-3, 10-2) vs. (#25 AP/#19 ESPN/USA Today) Boston College Eagles (16-6, 7-4)

The Date and Time: Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2005, at 7 p.m. ET.

The Site: Conte Forum (8,606) in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The Tickets: Still available through the Notre Dame athletics ticket office (574-631-7356), the Boston College athletics ticket office (617-552-4622) or at the door on game night.

The TV Plans: College Sports Television (CSTV) national broadcast with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Debbie Antonelli (analysis), Jesse Christensen (producer) and Bob Fraterolli (director). The game can be seen live in the South Bend market on WHME-TV (Channel 46) and also is available nationally on DirecTV (Channel 610).

The Radio Plans: Tuesday’s game will be broadcast live on WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend with Sean Stires (play-by-play) calling the action. These broadcasts also are available through the Notre Dame athletics web site at www.und.com.

Real-Time Statistics: Live in-game statistics, courtesy of College Sports Online’s GameTracker, are available for the Boston College game, via the Notre Dame (www.und.com) and Boston College (www.bceagles.com) athletics web sites.

Web Sites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Boston College (www.bceagles.com).

#5/7 NOTRE DAME BEGINS KEY TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP TUESDAY AT BOSTON COLLEGE
With two weeks to go in the regular season, No. 5/7 Notre Dame will embark on perhaps its most important road swing of the season, beginning Tuesday with a 7 p.m. (ET) rematch at No. 25/19 Boston College. The Irish hold a scant half-game lead in the BIG EAST Conference standings, and will need to come through at two sites where they have traditionally had trouble – BC (Tuesday) and Rutgers (Saturday).

Notre Dame (22-3, 10-2 BIG EAST) stretched its season-long winning streak to nine games last Saturday with a 72-58 victory over Georgetown at the Joyce Center. The Irish led wire-to-wire, opening up a 17-point lead with five minutes to go in the first half. Notre Dame then weathered a spirited comeback by the Hoyas before going on a 17-4 run midway through the second half to put the game on ice.

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast turned in one of her strongest all-around efforts of the season, piling up a game-high 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Junior guard Megan Duffy added 17 points and seven assists for the Irish.

Boston College (16-6, 7-4) snapped a three-game losing streak last weekend with a 75-50 victory at Syracuse. Junior forward Brooke Queenan led four Eagles in double figures with 16 points.

With the loss of top scorer Jessalyn Deveny to injury, Queenan (11.2 ppg.) and sophomore Kathrin Ress (10.8 ppg.) are BC’s top point producers.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
It’s hard to say a 13-3 team was at a crossroads in its season, but Notre Dame found itself in such a situation entering its Jan. 16 game with No. 20 Purdue. The Irish had opened with wins in 13 of their first 14 games, including a memorable run to the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT title that included victories over a pair of top-10 opponents (No. 6 Duke and No. 10 Ohio State). However, after rising as high as third in the polls, a pair of bitter losses to BIG EAST foes Villanova and No. 16 Connecticut sapped some of the team’s confidence and left them searching for answers heading into the Purdue contest.

After a tense struggle through the first 10 minutes, Notre Dame pulled away and put together its second-highest offensive production of the season while ending a four-game losing streak to its in-state rival. The victory sparked a current season-high nine-game winning streak that has seen Notre Dame win six times by double figures, and four times against ranked opponents (two vs. top-10 foes). In addition to the Purdue victory, the Irish also have come back from a 13-point deficit to defeat No. 6/7 Rutgers, gone on the road to oust No. 9/10 Connecticut (snapping the Huskies’ 112-game BIG EAST regular-season home winning streak) and fought past No. 16/13 Boston College.

Despite the added focus shown to her by opposing teams (and a recent bout with a stomach virus), senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast was a major catalyst for the Irish this season, averaging 18.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. A four-time BIG EAST Player of the Week and member of the Wooden Women’s Award Midseason Top 20 List, Batteast has scored in double digits 22 times this season, has earned game-high scoring honors on 14 occasions and has six double-doubles. She also moved into the top five on Notre Dame’s career lists for points (1,765), rebounds (911), blocks (157) and double-doubles (38). In addition, with 10 rebounds at Providence Feb. 9, she became only the third Irish player to amass 1,700 points and 900 rebounds in her career, joining All-Americans Katryna Gaither and Ruth Riley.

Junior guard Megan Duffy also has stepped up her play this season, registering 11.5 points per game with a team-high 5.6 assists (second in the BIG EAST and 26th in the nation) and 2.72 steals per game (first in the BIG EAST). Duffy also leads the league and is fourth nationally with a .910 free throw percentage (101-111) this season, sparking the Irish to a .743 free throw ratio (second in the league and 28th in the NCAA as of Feb. 8).

In the post, senior center Teresa Borton is showing capable leadership by example. In the past 12 games, Borton is averaging 11.2 ppg. and 7.2 rpg. with a .630 field goal percentage (58-92) and has eight double-figure scoring games. She is third on the team in scoring this season (9.0 ppg.), second in rebounding (6.2 rpg.) and first in blocked shots (1.72 bpg.) and field goal percentage (.585).

SOME POTENT NOTABLES ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH

  • Notre Dame won its first seven games this season, the second-best debut in the program’s history. The 2000-01 squad opened with a 23-game win streak en route to school’s first national championship. The Irish also reached the double-digit win mark Dec. 19 at Marquette, getting their 10th win faster than any team in school history (the ’00-01 team did it two days later on Dec. 21, 2000).
  • The Irish are 9-1 on the road this year, and won their first five road games this season for the second time in school history. The 2000-01 club opened with a 10-game road winning streak to set the school standard. Ironically, Notre Dame struggled in true road games last year, losing its first four and six of its first seven on the opposition’s floor.
  • Notre Dame picked up its 20th win of the season Feb. 5 at Pittsburgh. The Irish have now posted 12 consecutive 20-win seasons (one of only six schools in the nation that can make that claim) and 16 in the 18-year Muffet McGraw era. In addition, Notre Dame reached the 20-win mark in its 23rd game this season, marking the fourth-fastest run to 20 victories in school history. The 2000-01 club opened with 23 consecutive wins, while the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 squads each did it in 22 games. However, in terms of calendar dates, the Irish logged their 20th win faster than any Notre Dame team except the 2000-01 unit, which reached the mark on Jan. 31.
  • The Irish have been a fixture near the top of the RPI charts this year. Through Feb. 13, Notre Dame is fourth in the WBCA/Summerville RPI rankings, with the nation’s 25th-toughest schedule.
  • Notre Dame has appeared in the top 10 of the AP balloting 13 times in the first 15 polls of the year, checking in at No. 5 this week. On three other times in school history have the Irish spent longer in the AP top 10 during one season – 1998-99 (16 weeks), 1999-2000 (15 weeks) and 2000-01 (18 weeks). All told, Notre Dame has now spent 69 weeks in the AP top 10 and has a 106-18 (.855) all-time record when it’s ranked in the top 10.
  • The Irish have posted 36 wins over AP Top 25 opponents in the past seven seasons (1998-99 to present), including six this year (No. 6 Duke, No. 10 Ohio State, No. 20 Purdue, No. 6 Rutgers, No. 9 Connecticut and No. 16 Boston College). Notre Dame is tied for the fourth-most Top 25 wins this season, exceeded only by Duke’s eight wins and seven victories each for Michigan State and Ohio State. During the past two years, the Irish have 13 wins over ranked opponents.
  • Notre Dame has defeated 23 top-10 opponents in its history, adding to that total with four victories this season. The four top-10 wins represent the second-highest total in school history (and tie Penn State and Rutgers for the most by any team in the nation this season) – the 2000-01 squad holds the Irish record with seven top-10 victories.
  • Notre Dame owns a unique distinction with victories over both the No. 2 (Ohio State) and No. 3 (Duke) teams in this week’s Associated Press poll. In fact, the Irish are one of only two teams to defeat Duke so far this season, and also one of just two squads to solve OSU in 2004-05.
  • Head coach Muffet McGraw has a 406-152 (.728) record in 18 seasons with the Irish, having logged the milestone 400th victory Jan. 23 against Rutgers. She also has a 494-193 (.719) overall record in 23 seasons, leaving her only six victories shy of the 500-win plateau for her career.

A QUICK LOOK AT BOSTON COLLEGE
Although it’s been less than two weeks since Notre Dame and Boston College last played one another, there’s a significant change in the Eagles’ camp. Entering the first matchup with the Irish, BC was counting on the return of all-BIG EAST guard Jessalyn Deveny, who was recovering from a sore right Achilles’ tendon. However, less than a minute after she took the floor, Deveny’s season was unfairly cut short when that same Achilles’ tendon ruptured.

During the ensuing four games (including the first Notre Dame contest), Boston College has had to adjust to the loss of Deveny, the team’s top scorer (17.1 ppg.) and three-point shooter (.511), not to mention their captain and emotional centerpiece. The adjustment resulted in a three-game losing streak before the Eagles bounced back last Saturday with a 75-50 victory at Syracuse. Junior forward Brooke Queenan led four BC players in double figures with 16 points, while senior guard/forward Clare Droesch chipped in with 15 points and seven assists.

Queenan has stepped into the breach left by Deveny’s absence, averaging 11.2 points per game (11.0 ppg. in the past three contests), and sophomore forward Kathrin Ress is next on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg.). Droesch is up to 9.2 ppg. with a team-high 6.1 rpg. and a team-best 26 three-point field goals, while junior center Lisa Macchia (5.9 ppg., .565 FG%) has contributed 9.0 ppg. in the past three outings and sophomore guard Kindyll Dorsey (2.9 ppg.), who had 10 points in the first matchup at Notre Dame, has averaged 7.7 ppg. and is shooting .556 from the three-point line in place of Deveny.

Head coach Cathy Inglese has provided a steady hand for Boston College for the past 12 seasons, compiling a 214-135 (.613) with the Eagles. Prior to arriving in Chestnut Hill, she spent seven years as the head coach at Vermont, tutoring such prominent future head coaches as Minnesota’s Pam Borton and Syracuse’s Keith Cieplicki. Inglese’s career record stands at 334-209 (.615) in 19 seasons, although she is 3-9 all-time against Notre Dame.

THE NOTRE DAME-BOSTON COLLEGE SERIES
Notre Dame and Boston College have developed one of the more intense rivalries in the BIG EAST Conference during the past decade. With both squads regularly competing for the conference title, not to mention deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, the annual matchups between the Irish and Eagles have been spirited, if not thrilling in nature. Notre Dame leads the all-time series, 9-4, although Boston College owns a 4-2 edge when the scene shifts to Chestnut Hill in a series that has been largely dominated by the home team.

Notre Dame and BC first met on Dec. 30, 1983, when the Irish paid a visit to Chestnut Hill for the Nike Christmas Classic. The Eagles won that initial game, 59-55, before the series went dormant for the next 11 seasons. It wouldn’t resume until Notre Dame joined the BIG EAST in time for the 1995-96 campaign.

The Irish won the first three conference games between the teams before Boston College picked up a pair of victories in 1998 to even the series at three games apiece. However, beginning with the second half of the 1998-99 season, Notre Dame has won six of the past seven games in the series, with five of those victories coming at the Joyce Center. The Eagles continued to maintain the upper hand in Chestnut Hill, earning their most recent win on Jan. 29, 2003, with a 76-48 rout at Conte Forum.

Tuesday night’s game will mark BC’s last regular-season matchup against Notre Dame as a member of the BIG EAST. Starting next season, the Eagles will compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND BOSTON COLLEGE MET
Notre Dame senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast scored all 15 of her points in the second half as the sixth-ranked Irish beat No. 16/13 Boston College, 64-57 on Feb. 2 at the Joyce Center.

The Eagles (15-4, 6-2 BIG EAST) went ahead 54-53 when Lisa Macchia scored inside with 6:45 left. But the Irish (19-3, 7-2) took the control with an 8-0 run, getting four of their points from baskets inside. It started with Batteast going around Macchia to score.

Batteast was double-teamed down low on Notre Dame’s next possession, but passed to senior center Teresa Borton, who was wide open for a basket. After Macchia was called for a travel, junior forward Courtney LaVere hit a 15-foot shot to put the game away as the Eagles went five minutes without scoring, going 0-for-6 during that stretch.

Borton added 12 points for the Irish, who outscored the Eagles 44-18 inside despite being outrebounded 45-32. Clare Droesch led BC with 14 points and 10 rebounds, Aja Parham had 13 points and 13 rebounds, Sarah Marshall added 11 points and Kindyll Dorsey, who entered the game with 10 points this season, added 10 points.

The Eagles, the nation’s best-shooting team, couldn’t overcome a .345 field goal percentage or 22 turnovers. But BC managed to make a game of it after falling behind by nine points early in the second half. The Eagles had a 19-6 run and led 49-45 on a layup by Parham midway through the half.

Boston College kept the score close throughout the first half despite missing its first 10 shots and losing leading scorer Jessalyn Deveny five minutes in with a reinjured right Achilles’ tendon.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND BOSTON COLLEGE MET IN CHESTNUT HILL
Jacqueline Batteast posted her sixth double-double of the 2002-03 season, but it was not enough as No. 24 (ESPN/USA Today) Notre Dame dropped a 76-48 decision at No. 25 (ESPN/USA Today) Boston College on Jan. 29, 2003, before a crowd of 3,669 at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. It was the Eagles’ first win over the Irish since 1998, breaking a four-game BC losing streak in the series.

Batteast rolled up 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Alicia Ratay added eight points and a season-best nine rebounds, marking the second consecutive game in which Ratay matched her season high in rebounds.

Jessalyn Deveny led four Boston College players in double figures with 18 points, all in the second half. Amber Jacobs chipped in with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting, and Becky Gottstein nearly charted a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.

The teams played virtually even for the first nine minutes, trading the lead five times with four ties. Notre Dame fired the first salvo of the night, going on an 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 21-12 with 5:45 remaining in the first half. However, BC responded with an 11-2 run of its own to pull even at 23-23 with 29 seconds left in the period. A pair of free throws by Courtney LaVere would give the Irish a two-point lead at halftime.

Notre Dame (11-7, 3-4 BIG EAST) built on its edge early in the second half, taking a 34-29 lead on a jumper by Batteast with 16:17 to play. That’s when the Eagles took control, going on a 17-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 10-point lead. The Irish made a brief surge and got as close as 51-43 when Megan Duffy canned a three-pointer at the 9:22 mark. Boston College then iced the win by scoring 25 of the final 30 points in the game.

The Eagles (14-4, 6-1) were razor sharp in the second half, connecting on 57.6 percent of their shots (19-for-33). They also sparkled at the foul line, making 13-of-14 free throws (92.9 percent). Meanwhile, Notre Dame was hampered by the loss of starting point guard Le’Tania Severe, who was injured midway through the first half and did not return.

OTHER NOTRE DAME-BOSTON COLLEGE SERIES NOTES

  • Only five times in 13 previous meetings has Boston College scored more than 60 points in a game against Notre Dame (four coming at Conte Forum). Conversely, the Irish have topped the 60-point mark 10 times against BC, including four of their six visits to Chestnut Hill.
  • For the third (and final) time in Notre Dame’s 10-year affiliation with the BIG EAST Conference, the Irish will be playing Boston College twice this season. Notre Dame also faced the Eagles on two occasions during the 1996-97 (ND sweep) and 1998-99 (split) campaigns.
  • Tuesday’s Notre Dame-Boston College contest will mark the 11th time in the past 12 series games that one or both teams are ranked at tipoff (ND leads 8-2 in these games). The 1997-98 matchup (a 78-76 BC win on Feb. 12) is the only time in the past nine seasons (’96-97 to present) that neither team appeared in the top 25 of one of the major national polls prior to the game.
  • Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast is averaging team highs of 13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in four career games against Boston College.

THE BEAST OF THE BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 134-30 (.817) in regular-season competition against the rest of BIG EAST Conference, owning the best conference winning percentage of any current member of the BIG EAST since joining the circuit for the 1995-96 campaign. The Irish also have finished either first or second in the BIG EAST eight times in their nine-year membership, and claimed a share of their first-ever regular-season conference championship in 2001.

When including postseason competition (BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments), Notre Dame is 147-39 (.790) against league opponents – when factoring in these 22 postseason tilts, the Irish are 75-8 (.904) at home, 59-25 (.702) on the road and 13-6 (.684) at neutral sites all-time vs. BIG EAST foes.

POLLING PLACE
Notre Dame is 183-43 (.810) all-time when it is ranked in the Associated Press poll at tipoff (the Irish are fifth entering Tuesday night’s game at Boston College). When playing at home, Notre Dame has been especially strong, going 86-10 (.896) as a ranked host after posting a 13-2 record at the Joyce Center this season. Conversely, the Irish are 73-25 (.745) all-time when they play on the road as a ranked team.

Upon closer inspection, Notre Dame has been very sharp when it’s ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. The Irish are 106-18 (.855) as a top-10 squad, including a 52-4 (.929) record at home. In fact, prior to its Dec. 2 overtime loss to then-No. 15 Michigan State, Notre Dame had a 41-game home winning streak when it was ranked in the AP top 10, dating back to December of 1998.

RISING UP
Notre Dame has posted a 6-2 record against ranked opponents this season, including a 4-0 mark against top-10 foes. Here’s a look at the Irish statistical leaders against Top 25 clubs this year:

  • Jacqueline Batteast – 18.1 ppg., 5.8 rpg., three 20-point games, one double-double
  • Megan Duffy – 12.8 ppg., 5.9 apg., .481 FG% (25-52), .520 3FG% (13-25), six five-assist games
  • Charel Allen – 9.1 ppg., 4.0 rpg., .531 FG% (26-49), 1.000 3FG% (5-5)
  • Teresa Borton – 8.3 ppg., 7.3 rpg., 2.4 bpg., .509 FG% (27-53)
  • TEAM – 67.9 ppg., .511 3FG% (23-45), .770 FT% (134-174)

BATTEAST NAMED BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR FOURTH TIME
For the fourth time this season, and the fifth time in her career, senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast has been selected as the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. The 6-foot-2 wing also was tapped for the honor on Nov. 22, Dec. 20 and Jan. 24, and she is the first player this season to be named BIG EAST Player of the Week four times.

In addition, Batteast is only the second Notre Dame player ever to garner the league’s top weekly award four times in the same season, joining 2001 consensus National Player of the Year Ruth Riley, who also earned four awards in 2000-01. Batteast’s five career BIG EAST Player of the Week selections tie her with Katryna Gaither (1993-97) for the second-most in school history – Riley had nine from 1997-2001.

Batteast averaged 21.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last week, as the Irish stretched their winning streak to a season-long nine games. At Providence on Feb. 9, she posted her sixth double-double of the year (38th of her career) with game highs of 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-57 Notre Dame victory. Three days later at home against Georgetown, she rolled up a game-best 20 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists as the Irish led all the way in a 72-58 conquest of the Hoyas. In that game, Batteast also moved into fourth place on Notre Dame’s career scoring list with 1,765 points, passing former teammate Alicia Ratay (1,763 points from 1999-2003).

For the season, Batteast is second in the BIG EAST in scoring (18.0 ppg.), and also ranks among the conference leaders in rebounding (10th – 6.6 rpg.), assists (14th – 3.04 apg.), free throw percentage (2nd – .829), double-doubles (6th – 6) and 20-point games (2nd – 10).

THE QUICK DISH
With apologies to ESPN.com’s Melanie Jackson, Notre Dame has its own true “Quick Dish” in junior guard Megan Duffy. During the past 12 games (starting with the first matchup vs. Syracuse on Jan. 5), Duffy is averaging 7.0 assists per game, with at least five handouts in 11 of 12 contests. In that time, she also has posted a sharp 2.40 assist/turnover ratio (84 assists, 35 turnovers).

And lest you think these numbers have been piled up against Podunk Tech, Notre Dame has played five ranked opponents (No. 16 Connecticut, No. 20 Purdue, No. 6/7 Rutgers, No. 9/10 Connecticut and No. 16/13 Boston College) in that 12-game span, and Duffy has averaged 6.8 assists per game with a 1.70 assist/turnover ratio (34 assists, 20 turnovers) against those top-25 squads.

THE SEASON FOR SHARING
One of the key elements in Notre Dame’s success this season has been its penchant for distributing the ball well. In fact, the Irish have 426 assists (17.04 apg.; second in the BIG EAST and 21st in the nation as of Feb. 8) on 627 field goals made (25.1 per game), including a Preseason WNIT-record 29 handouts in the season opener vs. Illinois State.

Junior guard Megan Duffy leads the way at 5.64 assists per game (second in the BIG EAST and 26th in the nation), with at least five dimes in 16 contests this year, including a career-high 11 assists vs. Rutgers on Jan. 23. Duffy also is second in the BIG EAST with 6.75 apg. in conference play.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Irish are 9-1 on the road this season, a far cry from last year’s struggles away from the Joyce Center, when they lost their first four and six of their first seven true road contests. In fact, Notre Dame won its first five road games this year, marking only the second time in school history the Irish opened with five or more road victories (they won 10 in a row to begin the 2000-01 campaign).

Accenting Notre Dame’s play on the road has been its defensive prowess. The Irish are holding opponents to 53.3 ppg., a .332 field goal percentage (185-for-557) and a .232 three-point percentage (42-for-181) away from home and have allowed more than 60 points only once in their 10 road games this year (61 by Syracuse on Jan. 19, although SU needed a Rochelle Coleman bucket with five seconds left to reach the mark).

PINE TIME PLAYERS
Notre Dame is 15-0 this year (6-0 vs. BIG EAST Conference opponents) when its bench outscores the opposition’s reserves. For the season, the Irish understudies are averaging 17.4 ppg., compared to 14.3 ppg. for Notre Dame opponents. Freshman guard Charel Allen has been the top Irish reserve this season, logging 8.1 ppg.

Notre Dame’s bench play has been especially important during its current nine-game winning streak. The Irish are getting an average of 22.7 ppg. from their reserves in that stretch, compared to 15.2 ppg. from the opposition’s bench. Allen (10.8 ppg.) has been the key bench contributor during the streak with four double-figure games – 17 points at Syracuse (Jan. 19), 16 points at Pittsburgh (Feb. 5), 14 points vs. Georgetown (Feb. 12) and 11 points at No. 9/10 Connecticut (Jan. 30).

THREE-FENSE
In the past 22 games, Notre Dame has limited its opponents to a .252 three-point percentage (99-for-393), after Irish foes were shooting .333 from beyond the arc (17-for-51) in the first three games of the season. On Dec. 9, Notre Dame held Dayton to an opponent season-low .071 three-point percentage (1-for-14), with the Flyers missing their final 13 three-point attempts.

For the season, Notre Dame leads the BIG EAST in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to a .262 mark (116-for-442) from long range.

THE FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT
Notre Dame ranks second in the BIG EAST Conference in steals this season, averaging 9.56 thefts per game (239 total). The Irish have come up with at least 10 steals in 10 games and had a season-best 20 thefts on Nov. 22 vs. Colorado State, the most by a BIG EAST team this season.

Individually, junior guard Megan Duffy is tops in the conference in steals (2.72 spg., 68 total), while her backcourt mate, sophomore Breona Gray is second on the team with 1.28 steals per game (32 total). Four other Notre Dame players have at least 20 steals this year – senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (29), freshman guard Charel Allen (29), senior center Teresa Borton (20) and freshman guard Tulyah Gaines (20).

LOTS OF FREE STUFF
When given the opportunity, Notre Dame has taken advantage of its trips to the free throw line this season. The Irish are second in the BIG EAST Conference and 28th nationally (as of Feb. 8), shooting 74.3 percent from the charity stripe. In fact, they set a school record by going a perfect 18-for-18 on Nov. 30 at Valparaiso, which also matches the best mark by any team in the country this season.

Notre Dame has been led at the gift line by junior guard Megan Duffy (.910, 101-111), freshman guard Charel Allen (.833, 50-60) and senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (.829, 102-123). Duffy currently ranks first in the BIG EAST and fourth in the nation in free throw percentage, while Batteast is second in the conference (Allen hasn’t made enough foul shots to qualify) and has shown the greatest improvement among all Irish players this season with more than a 20-percent jump from last year’s career low .627 mark.

One side note about Duffy’s free throw prowess – the Irish junior struggled at the line early in her freshman season, shooting just 59.3 percent (16-27) during her first 15 collegiate games. However, in the 73 games since then (Jan. 20, 2003 to present), Duffy is connecting at an .871 clip (216-248) on her foul shots. She also has made 109 of her last 120 free throws (.908) in the past 31 Irish games, dating back to Feb. 28, 2004.

McGRAW’S MILESTONES
Entering this season, Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw had the opportunity to reach three career coaching milestones. Here’s a look at her progress toward each landmark:

  • Winningest basketball coach at Notre Dame – picked up 394th victory with the Irish on Dec. 19 at Marquette, passing longtime men’s coach Digger Phelps (393 wins from 1971-91).
  • 400th victory at Notre Dame – registered 400th win at Notre Dame on Jan. 23 vs. Rutgers (current record: 406-152, .728)
  • 500th victory overall – needs six wins (current record: 494-193, .719)

BATTEAST NAMED TO WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP 20 LIST
Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast has been named to the John R. Wooden Women’s Award Midseason Top 20 List, recognized the leading candidates for the honor that goes to the nation’s outstanding women’s college basketball player. In March, approximately 15 finalists for the Wooden Women’s Award will be placed on the voting ballot by the award’s National Advisory Board, which is comprised of some of the country’s leading sportswriters and sportscasters who cover women’s basketball on a regular basis. Those ballots will then be mailed to more than 250 voters across the nation, with the top five vote-getters earning Wooden Award All-America honors, as well as a trip to the Wooden Award trophy presentation ceremony April 9 at the Omni Hotel in Los Angeles.

DETHRONING THE CHAMPS
Notre Dame achieved a historic basketball feat on Jan. 30, becoming the first school ever to defeat both the reigning men’s and women’s NCAA champions in the same season on two occasions. On that Sunday night, the Irish women ousted Connecticut, 65-59 in Storrs, a mere three hours after the Notre Dame men also toppled the Huskies, 78-74 in South Bend.

Last season, Notre Dame became just the fourth school since the inception of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in 1982 to have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams beat the defending national champions in the same season. The Irish women did their part by ousting Connecticut (66-51) on Jan. 13, 2004, while the Notre Dame men completed the double with an 84-72 win at Syracuse on Feb. 16, 2004.

The only other schools that can lay claim to this accomplishment are Duke (1998-99), Tennessee (1999-2000), Michigan State (1999-2000) and North Carolina (2004-05), with Notre Dame, Michigan State and UNC being the only institutions to turn the trick in the regular season (Duke’s women beat Tennessee in the ’99 NCAAs, while Tennessee’s men downed Connecticut in the ’00 NCAAs).

THE GEORGETOWN RECAP
Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast had a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds as No. 6/7 Notre Dame recovered from nearly squandering a 17-point lead, beating Georgetown 72-58 Saturday afternoon at the Joyce Center for its ninth straight win.

Georgetown (9-13, 4-7 BIG EAST), which trailed 31-14 with five minutes to go in the first half, cut the lead to 35-30 early in the second half on a basket by Varda Tamoulianis. Later in the half the Hoyas closed to 42-39 when Mary Lisicky hit a three-pointer. Lisicky closed the gap to 43-41 when she made a pair of free throws with 12:41 left.

But Batteast dribbled around a crowd in the lane and drove the baseline to spark a 17-4 run by the Irish (22-3, 10-2). Batteast and freshman guard Charel Allen scored six points each during the spurt. Junior guard Megan Duffy, who had 17 points and seven assists, capped the run with a pair of free throws to give the Irish a 60-45 lead with 6:34 left.

Batteast moved into fourth place on Notre Dame’s all-time scoring list with 1,765 points, two points ahead of Alicia Ratay. Ruth Riley, who led the Irish to a national championship in 2001, is third with 2,072 points.

Senior center Teresa Borton added 14 points and had a career-high 12 rebounds for her fourth career double-double as the Irish outrebounded Georgetown 42-21. The Irish dominated inside, outscoring the Hoyas 30-22. Allen added 14 points for Notre Dame.

Lisicky led Georgetown with 16 points. Kate Carlin added 11 points and Bethany LeSueur had 10. Kieraah Marlow, Georgetown’s leading scorer and rebounder at 13.2 points and 9.0 rebounds a game, was held to six points and five boards in 32 minutes.

The Irish used an 18-6 run to open their 31-14 lead when Batteast scored on a running 10-foot jumper down the lane. But the Hoyas, who made just five of their first 20 shots, made their last five of the first half during a 12-4 run. A three-pointer by Kristin Heidloff from a step across halfcourt just before the buzzer cut Notre Dame’s lead to 35-26 at the break.

NOTING THE GEORGETOWN WIN

  • Notre Dame’s nine-game winning streak is its longest since another nine-game run from Jan. 26-Feb. 23, 2002.
  • The 22 wins this season are the most for the Irish since they won 34 times in 2000-01.
  • The Georgetown victory also was Notre Dame’s 10th in BIG EAST play, marking the 13th consecutive season that the Irish have posted double-digit conference wins (10 in the BIG EAST, three in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference).
  • Notre Dame is 19-2 all-time against Georgetown, including a 10-0 record at home. The Irish also have scored at least 70 points in 16 of 21 career games vs. the Hoyas.
  • Notre Dame improves to 17-0 this season when leading at halftime, 10-0 when it shoots 45 percent or better from the field, 12-1 when scoring at least 70 points and 16-1 when limiting the opposition to less than 60 points.
  • The Irish had four double-digit scorers for the ninth time this year and are 12-1 when at least three players wind up in double figures.
  • For the second consecutive game, Notre Dame held its opponent to a season-low rebounding total (45 total rebounds allowed in past two games).
  • During their current winning streak, the Irish have shot better than 40 percent in all nine games, while keeping the opposition under that figure seven times.
  • In addition to moving into fourth place on Notre Dame’s career scoring list (1,765 points, passing former teammate Alicia Ratay), senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast collected her 10th 20-point game of the season (31st career), her 22nd double-figure scoring game of the year (94th career) and fifth five-assist game of the season (14th career).
  • Senior center Teresa Borton notched her second double-double of the year (fourth of her career) with 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, the latter mark breaking the old standard of 11 she had set on four occasions (most recently at Connecticut on Jan. 30). Borton has scored in double figures 11 times this season (35 career), including four consecutive games and five times in the past six outings.
  • Junior guard Megan Duffy matched her season-high totals at the foul line, going 9-for-10 (also vs. Duke on Nov. 17). Duffy also dished out at least five assists for the 11th time in the past 12 games, recording 7.0 apg. with a 2.40 assist/turnover ratio (84 assists, 35 turnovers) in that stretch. Duffy has 17 five-assist games this year (34 career).
  • Freshman guard Charel Allen delivered a career-high four assists, one more than her previous best which she had set on five occasions (most recently at Pittsburgh on Feb. 5). Allen posted her seventh double-digit scoring game of the season and third in the past five contests.

HALF AND HALF
Over the past five seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 94-7 (.931) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead. Notre Dame is 17-0 in such games this season, including a 7-0 record in BIG EAST Conference play.

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE …
During the past decade, Notre Dame has discovered that a solid defensive effort can almost certainly guarantee a victory. In fact, since the beginning of the 1995-96 season (Notre Dame’s first in the BIG EAST Conference), the Irish have an amazing 145-8 (.948) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game, including a 16-1 mark this season (8-1 in BIG EAST games, including a 5-0 record in their last five games).

… BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SCORE IF YOU WANT TO WIN
Not resting solely on its defensive laurels, Notre Dame also seemingly has found the magic mark when it comes to outscoring its opponents. Over the past decade (1995-96 to present), the Irish are 90-3 (.968) when they score at least 80 points in a game. The only blemishes on that record are a pair of overtime losses to Texas A&M (88-84) and Michigan State (87-83) in 1995 and a 106-81 loss to Connecticut in 1998. Notre Dame has tacked two more wins onto that ledger with its victories this season over Illinois State and Purdue.

NOTRE DAME AMONG RECENT WINS LEADERS
Notre Dame has won 224 games over the past nine seasons, which is the sixth-most wins of any school in the country during that time.

SWEET SUCCESS
Notre Dame is one of only five schools in the country to have appeared in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen six times in the past eight seasons (1997-2004). The others are Connecticut (eight times), Tennessee (eight times), Duke (seven times) and Louisiana Tech (seven times).

THE GOLD STANDARD
Having clinched their 12th consecutive 20-win season with a 75-47 victory at Pittsburgh on Feb. 5, the Irish are one of just six teams nationwide to have an active streak of at least 11 consecutive 20-win seasons. The others in these elite club are Tennessee (28), Texas Tech (15), Louisiana Tech (13), Old Dominion (13) and Connecticut (11), none of whom have 20 wins yet this year (through Feb. 13).

NOW THAT’S A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
One of the hallmarks of Notre Dame’s success has been its stellar play at home. In fact, the Irish have been virtually untouchable at home in recent years, winning 126 of their last 137 games (.920) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center. Notre Dame also has a 75-8 (.904) home record in BIG EAST play.

The Irish have been particularly strong when it comes to non-conference games at home, winning 54 of their last 57 non-BIG EAST contests (.947) at the Joyce Center, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The only three losses in that span all came against Big Ten Conference teams – Wisconsin in 1996 (81-69), Purdue in 2003 (71-54) and Michigan State in 2004 (82-73 in OT).

Since its inaugural season in 1977-78, Notre Dame has played all of its games at the Joyce Center, posting a 276-72 (.793) record at the venerable facility. In three of the past five seasons (1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2003-04), the Irish were a perfect 15-0 at home, setting a school record for home wins in a season.

JAMMIN’ THE JOYCE
Beginning with its national championship season of 2000-01, Notre Dame has ranked in the top 15 in the nation in attendance each of the past four years, and current returns indicate this season may be no different. According to the Feb. 14 unofficial national attendance rankings (as compiled by the University of Wisconsin Sports Information Office), Notre Dame is 15th in the nation with an average of 5,690 fans per game.

All of the top 20 crowds in the Irish record book have occurred during the 18-year tenure of head coach Muffet McGraw (1987-present). And, as more evidence of Notre Dame’s rapid elevation to “hot ticket” status in South Bend, 19 of the top 20 crowds in school history have been recorded in the past six seasons (1999-2000 to present), including 12 audiences of 8,000 or more fans, and 64 of the past 66 home games with at least 5,000 fans filing into the Joyce Center.

NOTRE DAME ON THE SMALL SCREEN
The Irish are scheduled to make at least 13 appearances on regional or national television during the 2004-05 season (additional broadcasts may be announced at a later date).

Notre Dame made its TV debut this season on Nov. 20 when it defeated No. 10/9 Ohio State, 66-62 in the championship game of the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT. That contest was shown globally via broadband Internet connection at www.sportsview.tv, as well either live or delayed on several Comcast SportsNet outlets nationwide. The American Forces Network, which broadcasts to more than one million U.S. service men and women in 176 countries, also aired the game.

The Irish returned to the airwaves Dec. 2 when they dropped an 82-73 overtime decision to No. 15 Michigan State on College Sports Television (CSTV). That was the first of three Notre Dame games that will air nationally on the fledgling cable network, which has signed an agreement with the BIG EAST Conference to carry a national women’s basketball Game of the Week eight times in 2004-05. The Irish also lost to No. 16 Connecticut, 67-50 on Jan. 12 at the Joyce Center and will play at Boston College Tuesday night in front of the CSTV cameras.

In addition, Notre Dame will play twice on ESPN2 this year. On Jan. 16, the Irish downed No. 20 Purdue, 86-69 in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge at the Joyce Center. Two weeks later on Jan. 30, Notre Dame was back on ESPN2 as it defeated No. 9/10 Connecticut, 65-59 at Gampel Pavilion.

The BIG EAST also added two Irish games to its regional television package this season. Notre Dame lost at Villanova, 59-54 on Jan. 9 and defeated No. 6/7 Rutgers, 63-47 on Jan. 23, both on BIG EAST Television. Among those affiliates carrying the BETV package are Comcast SportsNet outlets in Chicago, Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Fox Sports Net outlets in New York, New England and Pittsburgh.

Detroit-based Comcast Local (Channel 3 on Comcast cable systems in South Bend) is the latest television outlet to select Notre Dame women’s basketball games for broadcast. The newly-formed network will air five Irish games this season – at USC (Nov. 26), and home games vs. Washington (Dec. 11), St. John’s (Jan. 26), Georgetown (Feb. 12) and West Virginia (Feb. 26) – with former Irish All-America center, WNBA champion and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Ruth Riley slated to provide color commentary on the final three broadcasts.

NOTRE DAME ON THE AIRWAVES
Once again this season, every Irish women’s basketball game (home and away) airs on the flagship stations of the Artistic Media Partners (AMP) Network – WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend. Veteran broadcaster and AMP sports director Sean Stires is now in his fifth season handling the play-by-play for Notre Dame. The Irish also can be heard on the Internet at Notre Dame’s official athletics web site (www.und.com) by subscribing to College Sports Pass, which gives listeners full multimedia access to a variety of Irish athletics events for only $6.95 per month.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
For the fourth time in school history (all during the Muffet McGraw era), Notre Dame will have three players sharing the captain’s duties this year. Senior forward Jacqueline Batteast, senior center Teresa Borton and junior guard Megan Duffy all were accorded the honor based upon a vote of their teammates prior to the season. All three are serving as captains for the first time in their respective careers.

IRISH ADD TWO PLAYERS DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw has announced that Lindsay Schrader, a 6-0 guard from Bartlett, Ill., and Chandrica Smith, a 6-1 forward from Stone Mountain, Ga., have chosen to continue their careers with the Irish, signing National Letters of Intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2005.

With the additions of Schrader and Smith, Notre Dame’s newest recruiting class is ranked 16th in the nation by Blue Star Index. That marks the ninth consecutive year the Irish have had a top-20 class, according to that publication, which makes Notre Dame one of only three schools in the nation that can claim that distinction (Connecticut and Tennessee are the others).

Schrader has been widely regarded as one of the top all-around players in the state of Illinois while attending Bartlett High School the past three seasons. She is a three-time all-state selection, a two-time Illinois Miss Basketball finalist, and a two-time Street & Smith’s All-America selection who has averaged 20.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in her prep career. Her finest all-around season came as a junior in 2003-04, when she averaged 20.8 ppg., 10.8 rpg. and 2.0 bpg. while earning first-team all-state honors from the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-Gazette. She also was a sixth-team All-America selection by Street & Smith’s and was a finalist for Illinois Miss Basketball honors, an award she will likely contend for once again this season.

On the summer camp circuit, Schrader was an Underclass All-Star at the 2002 adidas Top Ten Camp, before attending the Nike All-America Camp in both 2003 and 2004. She is ranked among the top 30 high school seniors in the nation by three separate recruiting services – Blue Star Index (14th), All-Game Sports (21st) and All-Star Girls Report (26th overall – eighth among shooting guards).

In addition, Schrader made a significant impact at the 2004 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Playing for the North Team that won the silver medal, she ranked third at the Festival in scoring (14.8 ppg.) and rebounding (8.6 rpg.), as well as second in field goal percentage (.542). All three figures were team highs, as were her 2.2 steals per game. For her efforts, Schrader was invited to attend the 2004 USA Women’s Junior World Championship Qualifying Team Trials, where she was one of 17 finalists for the 12-player team that won the gold medal this past August.

Smith currently attends Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., where she transferred prior to her senior season. Previously, she was a standout at Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., where she averaged 12.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game with a .620 field goal percentage. She also was a key component in the Jaguars’ run to a 32-1 record and the Georgia 5A state championship last year. In fact, during her first three prep seasons, her teams posted a combined 89-7 (.927) record with three trips to the Georgia state championship and one state title.

Smith herself has received numerous accolades during her high school career. She is a two-time honorable mention All-America selection by Street & Smith’s and was a Student Sports All-American in 2004. In addition, she attended the adidas Top Ten Camp three consecutive years and was named to its prestigious all-star team all three years (Underclass All-Star in 2002 & 2003; Upperclass All-Star in 2004). Last season, she was an honorable mention 5A all-state selection and a first-team all-county choice. She is ranked as high as 29th in the nation among high school seniors by All-Star Girls Report.

Like Schrader, Smith also attended the 2004 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Playing for the South Team, she averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, scoring a personal-best 13 points in the bronze-medal game victory over the East squad.

Muffet McGraw SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2010-11 SEASON
On Nov. 6, Notre Dame announced that Muffet McGraw has signed a two-year extension to continue as head coach of the Notre Dame women’s basketball program through the 2010-11 season.

McGraw, who is now in her 18th season with the Irish, most recently signed a four-year contract extension in July 2002 that took her through the 2008-09 season. Her first 17 seasons at Notre Dame have been highlighted by 15 20-win campaigns (including a current string of 11 straight), 11 NCAA tournament appearances (including a current streak of nine straight) and the 2001 NCAA title. Entering the 2004-05 season, she had a 384-149 (.720) record at Notre Dame.

In 2003-04, McGraw skillfully guided her team to a 21-11 record and a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen (the fourth for the Irish in five years). McGraw’s charges placed second in the BIG EAST Conference, their eighth top-two finish since joining the league nine years ago. In addition, the Irish went 15-0 at home, their third perfect record at the Joyce Center in the past five seasons, and extended their overall home win streak to 20 games, the second-longest in school history and eighth-longest active string in the nation heading into the 2004-05 campaign.

McGraw has continued to enhance her reputation as one of the nation’s outstanding big-game coaches and tacticians, piloting Notre Dame to a school-record seven wins over top 25 teams during the 2003-04 regular season. During her 17-year tenure with the Irish, McGraw has compiled 40 victories over nationally-ranked opponents, including 30 in the past six seasons (an average of five per year).

Under McGraw’s guidance, the past nine years have been the most successful in Notre Dame’s history as the Irish have compiled an impressive 225-69 (.765) record, including a sparkling 124-28 (.816) regular-season mark in BIG EAST play, the best winning percentage in league history. Notre Dame also has averaged 25 victories per campaign during that span, with two 30-win seasons to its credit. The Irish have won at least one NCAA tournament game every season over that time, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen six times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004) and the Final Four twice (1997 and 2001).

PROMOTIONAL CORNER
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women’s basketball games this season:

  • Feb. 26 vs. West Virginia – Notre Dame women’s basketball beanbag bears (first 1,000 fans)

NEXT GAME: RUTGERS
Notre Dame wraps up an important two-game BIG EAST road swing Saturday with a noon (ET) game at Rutgers. It’s the second of two meetings this season between the Irish and Scarlet Knights, with Notre Dame winning the earlier matchup, 63-47 back on Jan. 23 at the Joyce Center.

Rutgers (18-5, 9-2 BIG EAST), which is ranked 10th in this week’s Associated Press poll, joins Notre Dame as two of the three teams in the country with four victories over top-10 opponents this season. The Scarlet Knights’ latest highly-ranked victim was (then) No. 10 Connecticut, which Rutgers defeated by a 76-62 count this past Sunday in Piscataway. With that win, the Scarlet Knights moved into a tie with the Huskies for second place in the BIG EAST, one-half game behind Notre Dame. RU is slated to play at Syracuse Wednesday night before returning home to entertain the Irish this weekend.

Rutgers leads the all-time series with Notre Dame, 11-9, including a 6-3 advantage at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway. The teams have split their last 10 matchups, although the Scarlet Knights have won two of the past three times they have played host to the Irish.